Duncan Maclear
Duncan Maclear 'was the only son of James Maclear, Earl of Whitecrown. After being inducted into the Order of the Silver Hand during the Second War, Duncan swore a vow of poverty, thus renouncing all claims to his family's land and title. His sister Lady Katherine would inherit the family title instead. A 55 year-old veteran of many wars, Sir Duncan spent much of his later years training aspirants in the Order of the Crimson Fist, a chapter of the Order of the Silver Hand based in the Arathi Highlands. Known to have mentored at least three paladins in his long years of service, his most successful apprentice was Lady Melysa Marwyn, who went on to found the Order of the Crimson Fist and serve two terms as Grand Knight in the Congregation of the Silver Hand. He died bravely in battle, shortly after the March on the Highlands. At the time of his death, Sir Duncan was unmarried and without children. Appearance At nearly seven feet tall, he was described by many as a great bear of a man, but his gentle smiles and kind eyes belied his intimidating stature. Like many of his line, Sir Duncan had blue eyes, a pale complexion, and sandy-blonde hair that went almost entirely white by the time he was fifty. Easily recognizable by his bushy mustache and the beard, which at times was so long it covered the sigil on his breastplate, he was described by many as the very picture of both cleric and warrior. Personality and Character A man of unshakable faith in the Holy Light, his very presence was both a comfort and an inspiration to many. Sir Duncan believed so strongly that a paladin's first duty was to his Order, he renounced his birthright and swore a vow of poverty on the day he was inducted into the Order of the Silver Hand. Despite his numerous wealthy relations, Sir Duncan always lived modestly and donated any coin he received to the Church. When traveling, he would sooner make camp on the roadside than visit inns, which he regarded as a luxury. Although he was certainly a great warrior of his time, Sir Duncan never took pleasure in battle and saw violence as a last resort, to be used only when all else failed. A man who loved the people he was charged to protect, Sir Duncan would often visit the more impoverished villages, where he would speak and perform various acts of charity. Death After the March on the Highlands, Sir Duncan led a small group of Stromgarde's paladins in an attempt to reclaim some of the territory lost during the conflict. The group returned against virtually hopeless odds, but only because Sir Duncan bravely sacrificed himself so that his younger comrades might escape. Surrounded by more than thirty of the enemy, the old paladin managed to slay more than half their number before finally collapsing from his wounds. Still refusing to surrender, Sir Duncan rose once more to his feet, only to be cut down as three of his foes attacking him in tandem. A memorial in the form of a small statue of the paladin and his war hammer was commissioned by Melysa Marwyn shortly after his death and a funeral service was held at Castle Sutton. More than one hundred people came to mourn him and his brother by marriage, the 8th Duke of Newcastle is said to have wept. He was further honored by Melysa Marwyn, who adopted his personal motto ''"Strength In Virtue" as part of her coat of arms when she became Countess of Aberdeen. Coat of Arms '''Arms: Checky Argent and Azure (Clan Maclear) Motto: Strength In Virtue Trivia * Although his vows did not prevent him from taking a wife, Sir Duncan never married, nor was he known to have had any lovers. Because of this, some of his less virtuous brothers in arms often whispered that he preferred men. * In 603 K.C. a vicious rumor circulated among the paladins of Lordaeron, regarding his alleged affair with his favorite apprentice, Lady Ashfort whose marriage was well known to have been unpleasant for her. Although it was alleged that her second pregnancy was a result of this affair, the rumors were later proven to be nothing but lies. * The small fort in the Arathi Highlands Sir Duncan died while trying to reclaim was later renamed in his honor. Fort Duncan remains in Alliance control to this day. Category:Characters Category:Paladins Category:Order of the Silver Hand Category:Stromgarde Peerage Category:Order of the Crimson Fist Category:House of Maclear Category:Deceased